Game apparatus



March 21, 1933. NAUMAN 1,902,137

GAME APPARATUS Filed Oct. 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1.8 -4- i2 INVENTORHARRY TA Az/MA/v ATTORNEY March 21, .1933. NAUMAN GAME APPARATUS FiledOct. 7, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARRYTNAUMA/V Q 6am ATTORNEYMarch 21, 1933. H. T. NAUMAN 1,902,137

GAME APPARATUS Filed Oct. 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 U o 4 .5 mw@ m m nQ J \F; m.. n m Wu "1| w m ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 21, I933 UNITED STATESnanny r. NAUMAN, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA GAME APPARATUS Applicationfiled ctoberi7, 1930. Serial No. 486,880;

' My invention relates to game apparatus, and particularly to gameapparatus requiring skill in the playingthereof.

v The objects of this invention are: first, to provide a game apparatushaving a multiplicity of different goals or holes into which may bedriven or projected the game members used, depending upon the skill ofthe player, the high score depending upon the accuracy or proficiency ofthe player in directing the game members into the holes or goals chosen;second, to provide a game apparatus having a multiplicity of holes, or v1 other goals, which are provided with designai *tions corresponding tothe card designatlons of a poker deck of cards, so that a competitivepoker game may be played with the apparatus, or whereby each player mayseek "for aprize to be won; third, to provide an apparatus of this classin which there is provided a visible registering member for each goalwhich is visibly displayed when a par-' ticular goal is made; fourth, toprovide such an apparatus inwhich a deflector is raised in front of eachgoal as such goal is scored so as to reduce to a minimum the possibilityof scoring the same goal twice; fifth, to provide an apparatus of thisclass I which is played with balls and a putter and in which there is adirect line passage for the ball from the starting tee or space to eachof the holes so that'a skilful player maydrive the balls into thedesiredholes or other goals having a predetermined scoring value; sixth, toprovide a game apparatus in which the holes or goals are arranged at theupper portion of an inclined platform so that the balls I may return tothe player when the same are the particular goal into place; ninth, toproto make a high score from each series of plays not struck withsuflicient force or accuracy; seventh, to provide a game apparatus ofthis vide novel and simple means for holding all of theballs in acertain operative relation with the registering and" deflecting means ofeach goal so that the total score of one player may beretained and seenby the other players or attendant tenth, to provide a simple ball returnalley' which is adapted to return the balls to the player end of thegame apparatus at substantially the starting level of the platform;eleventh, to provide novel gate means,

in connection with the ball return alley; whereby a second set of-ballsis retained and released when desired, and such gate means isoperatively connected to a gate means: in o direct association with theholes or goals, which latter gate means is released for releasing theballs in the goals for placing the same within the alley to be releasedwhen the gate means is again actuated, thus providing a game apparatusin which a minimum num- 79 ber of balls are used and in which a set ofballs is always at hand for the player when desired; twelfth, to providenovel coin controlled means for actuating the gate means to performtherabove mentioned functions; thirteenth, to provide as a whole anovelly constructed game apparatus of'this class;

and fourteenth, to'provide' such a game apparatus which is very simpleandeconomical of construction proportionate to its functions, 80durable, one which is easy tooperate, one

which a player may easily learn to play, and

a game apparatus which will not readily deteriorate and get out oforder, 7 7 With these and other objects in view as will 7 appearhereinafter, I have devised a game apparatus having certain novelfeatures ofv construction, combination and arrangement ofparts andportions as will be hereinafter described in detail, and particularlyset forth. 9O in the appended claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and tothe characters of reference thereon whichform a part of my application in which:

Figure 1 is a plan fview of my game apparatus in one form; Fig. 2 is afragmentary sectional elevational View thereof, taken at 2-2 of Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary. sectional view thereof taken through3'-3 of Fig. 1 showing thelever and link connection V upper portion ofthe inclined platform and one of the holes and thetrip member and gatein connection therewith and showing by dotted lines certain movedpositions ofthe' ball deflector, trip hammer and gate when the ball isdropped into the hole and when the same is released; Fig. 6 is afragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale of one of the holes and thedeflectingmember and trip member in connection therewith; Fig.7 isa'fragmentary sectional elevational view thereof taken at 77 of Fig. 5showing the score indicia in connection with some of the holes andshowing the deflecting and registering members of one of the holes in araised position; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional elevational viewtaken through 8-8 of Fig. 4; Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional elevationalview taken through 99 of Fig. 1 showing the coin actuated means foroperating the several gates; Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional elevational View of the coin actuated means,

- taken through 10-10 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a sectional view thereoftaken through 1111 of Fig. 9 showing the coin slot; and Fig. 12

is a fragmentary sectional elevational view thereof taken through 1212of Fig. 11.

*Like characters of reference referto similar parts and portionsthroughout the views of the drawings.

The field of play of my game apparatus,

illustrated in the drawings, consists of a plat 1 form 1 which isrelatively long and diverges from its starting end toward the end 16 inwhich the goals are provided. This plat: form is also inclined upwardlyfrom its starting endtoward the opposite end in agradual incline, theincline being such thatthe balls not entering the goals will here-turnedto the starting end. If desired, the starting end or space may behorizontal, or may be provided with a roughened portion or ridges forplacing the same in order to strike the ball with a putter or other clubor device. At the wide end 11) of the platform is provided a transverserow of goals which are in the form of holes 10. These holes are solocated that they are all accessible by direct shots from the startingspace or tee 1a. The platform beyond the holes 1'0 is inclined at agreater angle than the main field of play of the platform. This greaterinclined portion, designated 1d, is adapted to retard the movementof'the balls if they should be struck beyond the holes. This inclinedportion 161 will also give considerable momentum' to the ball as it isreturned and will tend to cause the balls to return to the startingspace.

The holes 10 are of sufficient size to receive wholly therein the ballsor other game members used. The game members are preferably thesameasthose used in playing golf. The holes are all labeled with differentdesignations or indicia and of predetermined relative values. Suchindicia are painted or otherwise inscribed on the greater inclinedportion 1cZ1ofthe platform and directly behind therespective holes, asindicated by 2 in FigsIl and 7 These indicia or designations are thesame as the designations on the cards of an ordinary poker deck, such asthe queen of hearts, king of diamonds, and seven of clubs, shown in Fig.7 There may be provided as many holes as there are cards in the pokerdeck, or any number of holes less than thc total number of cards in sucha deck, depending npon the available space for the apparatus or theamount of money desired to I be'spe'nt upon the apparatus The rules forscor ng 1Il playing the game may be the same as those used in playingthe game of poker, eitherwhen playing for prizes or when playing acompetitive game.

into one of the pockets or holes corresponds to one of the cards in thehands of the poker player. 'All of the fiveballs of each player aredriveninto the holes before the turn of the next player, so that thecomplete score of a player may be registered in turn. In connection witheach hole, there is provided a registering. means for visiblyindicatingto all of the players and the attendants, the total score of a player. V

Th-e aforementioned registering means is actuated by a trip member 3,one of which is provided in connection with each hole. This trip member,whichis in the form of a trap door, consists of a plate which ispivotally mounted. intermediate its forward and rear ends on and at thelower end and rear side of the hole member 4. This hole member ispreferably in the form of a cylindrical member provided at itsupper endwith a flange which supports the member at its upper end in the hole 10of the platform. The lower portion of the rear side of the hole member 41s interior of-the pocket member and is positioned at the forward sideof the hole member. This registering member is reciprocally mounted in avertical direction at its lateral provided with .an opening 4a through.which the ball is adapted to roll toward the Within the hole memberedges between vertical guides 6 secured to the inner side of the holemember so that the registering member may be extended above the surfaceof the platform. The lower end of the registering member is pivotallyconnected to the forward end of the trip member, this trip member beingprovided at its forward end with a downwardly and forwardly extendingslotted lug 3a through which a pin 7, carried by the lower end of theregistering member, extends, as shown best in Figs. 5 and 7. vThe tripmember 3 is normally held in an inclined position by a pin. or othermeans 8 so that when a ball enters the hole the ball normally rollsbackwardly, tilting the trip member to the dotted line position, shownin- Fig. 5, and raising the registering member above the playing surfaceof the platform,

When the ball is released from the trip member, as will be describedhereafter, the weight of the registering member normally returns theregistering member and the trip member.

to the positions shown by solid lines in Fig. 5.

On the front side-of each registering member is painted, stamped, orotherwise 'inscribed the score indicia for the particular hole, whichindiciacorresponds to the indicia 2 aforementioned for the particularhole.

It will be here also noted that this registering means is positioned atthe forward side of the hole and serves as a deflector or means forpreventing another ball from entering the same hole from the front side.The registering member is also curved so that the same will not bereadily distorted and so that a'ball struck thereagainst may bedeflected into another hole.

When the balls are released from the trip members or trap doors 3, thesame are permitted to fall on to an inclined floor 11 immediately belowthe holes. This inclined floorextends completely acrossthe underside ofthe platform and is adapted to receive thereon the balls from all of theholes. The forward side of the inclined floor is bounded by a diagonalwall 11a, shown in Fig. 1, which permits the balls to roll to one sideof the platform. At the lateral side or edge of the platform, namely, atthe right hand side, is provided a ball return alley 12 which isconnected at its rear end to the lower por-' tion of the inclined floor11 and is adapted; to receive the balls from said inc-lined floor whenthe ballsare released from the trip means.

normally held in its ball holding, position,

by a' spring or springs 17 The gate 16 is prevented from closing quicklyby a dashpot construction" which consists of a cylinder 18 pivotallymounted at one end, a piston 19 re ciprocally mounted therein andprovided with a longitudinal bore 19a therethrough, and a piston rod 20secured to the piston, ex-

tending through the head of the cylinder,

opposite its pivotal mounting, and pivotallyconnected'at its outer endto the gate 16. The gate 16 may be tilted backwardly to the dotted lineposition by an operating lever at the player end of the platform. Thegate 16 is indirectlyconneoted. to such lever by a cable 21 which issecured at one end to the upper portion of the gate, extends around asheave 22, and is connected at its opposite end to one arm of abellcrank lever 23.

In the alley 12 are mounted two gates 24 and 25, the former beingnormally positioned in the path of the-alley and adjacent the balldelivery end of the alley, and the latter being positioned intermediatethe gates 16 and 24 and normally positioned outside of the path of thealley. The gate 24 opens or is shifted out of the path of the alleysimultaneously with the backward tilting of the gate 16, while the gate25 during such'movement is forced acrossthe'path of the alley.

The opposite movement of the gates are in the same order. 7

Bothof the gates 24 and 25 are recipro cally mounted in a horizontaldirection, movement being imparted thereto by a bell crank 26 and thebellcrank 23, respectively. These bellcranks are pivotally mounted atthe intersection of their arms on brackets 27 positioned outside of thealley and underneath the platform. These bellcranks are positioned inreverse order and are connected together with a link 28. This link 28 ispivotally connected to the arm of the bellthe other arm of the bellcrankbeing connected to the gate 25. The opposite end of crank 23 to whichthe cable 21 is connected,

the link 28 is connected to the arm opposite. to the one connected tothe gate 24. The arm connected to the link 28 is also pivotallyconnected, by a link 29. to an arm 30 mounted on a rockshaft 31 which isrotatably mounted, in this instance, below the starting end of theplatform and is controlled by. the actuating lever aforementioned.

The actuating or control lever 36'is mounted on a shaft 37 which extendsinto a vertical passing through the slot 396 when no coin is casing 38enclosing the coin actuated mechanism and positioned at one side of theplayer end of the platform. Within the casing 38 and on the shaft 37 ismounted a coin receiving arm 39. This arm is provided at one side of itsupper end with a narrow slot 39a which, wh n the arm 39 is in its normalposition of rest, is aligned with a horizontal coin slot 40a in the coinreceiving member 40 mounted at the upper end of the casing 38 andextending to the side thereof opposite the lever 36. At the upperportion of the coin receiving member 40 is provided a circular opening40b into which a coin of the designated denomination is inserted. Thecoin is permitted to drop through a short substantially vertical slot400 into the outer end of the coin slot 40a, as shown best in Fig. 12.The coin at the outer end of the coin slot 40a is forced inwardly by amanually actuated plunger 41 which forces the coin from the position A.to the position B, the plunger 41 being returnedto its outer positiombya spring 42. At the front side of the coin receiving member ispositioned a transparent plate 43 through which the coins may beseen fordetermining whether any slugs have been inserted into the machine. Thereare normally three coins in the coin receiving member which occupy thepositions B, C and D. Vhen a fourth coin is inserted, it assumes theposition A. When the plunger 41 is forced inwardly, the coin from theposition D is forced into the coin slot 394 of the arm 39, placing themechanism in an operating position. Within the coin receiving member andat the upper portion of the coin slot therein, are mounted two springs43 and 44 which hold. th 'co'ins in the positions B, C and D, until theyare displaced by forcing inwardly the plunger 41. The spring 44 holdsthe coin V in t 1e position D until the same is displaced,

as abovedescribed. The outer end of the arm 39 is also provided with atransverse slot 396 which intersects the slot 39a, but which is slightlynarrower than the diameter of the coin, leaving a flange or retainingportion 390, as shown in Fi s. 9, 11 and 12, for preventing the coinfrom being displaced in the direction of the rotating arm. Within theeasing, and slightly below and backwardly from the axis of the shaft 37,is rotatably mounted a-shaft 45 on which is mounted an arm 46 which inthe form of a bellcranl: lever. The one arm, designated 46a, extends upwardly in substantially the plane of the'coin receiving arm 39 and isoffset toward the side I of the open end of the slot39a and then extendswith an offset arm 46?) toward the free end of the arm 39. Y At the endof the offset arm 46b is rotatably mounted a roller 47 which is slightlyless in diameter than the width of the slot 392') and permits the arm 39to be rocked backwardly with the roller 47 in position in the slot-39a.coin has been forced into the slot 39a and the lever 36 is drawnbackwardly, the coin in the slot engages the roller and causes the lever46 to be rotated in the direction of the arm 39. After only a slightrotation of the lever 46',

the roller is raised free from the coin and rides upon an inclinedsurface 39d at the front side and upper end of the arm 39. When the arm39 is drawnbackwardly, it also clears the end of they coin receivingmember 40 and per mits the coin in the slot 39a to leave such coin slot.To facilitate the discharge of the coin from the coin slot 39a, thelower edge of the slot is inclined downwardly, as indicated by 390 inFigs. 9 and 12. .VVhen there is'no further resistance to the dischargeof the coin from the arm 39, the coin drops into a coin boi: 48 which ispositioned immediately to one side of the'lever 46 and the arm 39, atthe coin slot side of the latter. The coin box 48 may be mounted on abracket within the casing the coin slot of the arm 39, the arm 46a ofthe bellcrank lever 46 is also drawn backwardly forcingthe arms 36?) and50 upwardly and the arm 50 and link 29 backwardly,

which opens the gate 24 and tilts the gate 16 backwardly and forces thegate 25 across the path of the ball return alley. Such operationreleases the balls from the trip mem- .bers or trap doors 3 and permitsthe same to roll down the inclined floor 11 into the alley against thegate 25. Such operation alsopermits a second set of balls previouslyheld by the gate 24 to be released and to roll into the pocket or balldelivery end of the alley. When the handle or lever 36 is released,

the gate 16 is returned to its forward posi-' tion and the gate 24 toits closed position across the path of the alley, while the gate 25 iswithdrawn. Thus, the set of balls stopped by the gate 25 are permittedto roll down the alley against the gate 24 and are then held inreadiness until the lever 36 is again drawn backwardly with anothercoin.

It will be here noted that the dashpot connected to the gate 16 retardsthe closing of this gate and also the movement ofthe gate 25 and 24.Such retarded movement permits all of the balls to escape from behindthe gate 24 and also permits all of the balls in one pocket or hole toescape therefrom before the gate 16 reaches its forward position.

If a second ball is dropped into apocket, the' same is held in thedotted line position, desig However, if a nated E in Fig.5. When thegate 16 is drawn backwardly, the original ball in the position 'F ispermitted to drop, releasing the trip member allowing the same to fallto its solid line position, shown in Fig. 5, and allowing the ball. toroll toward the rear end of the trip member and again to tilt such tripmember and to drop therefrom.

Though I have shown and described a par ticular construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions of my game apparatus,I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combinationand arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention theconstruction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game apparatus, a platform having a plurality of spaced holes atone end thereof, a registering member in associationwith each of theholes, a trip member in association with each of the holes andoperatively connected to the registering member of the respective holefor shifting said registering member into view when a ball enters thehole. and a gate member in association with all of the trip members forretaining the .balls thereon and the respective registering member inview, said gate being shiftable for releasing all of the balls forpermitting the trip members and registering members to assume theirnormal inoperative positions.

2. In a game apparatus, a platform having a plurality of spaced holes atone end thereof, a registering member in association with each of theholes, a trip member in association with each of the holes andoperatively connected to the registering member of the respective holefor shifting said registering member into View when a ball enters thehole, a gate member in association with all of the trip members forretaining the balls thereon and the respective registering member inview, said gate being shiftable for releasing all of the balls forpermitting the trip members and registering members to assume theirnormal inoperative positions, a ball return alley for receiving theballs when released by the gate, other gate means in association withthe return alley adapted to close the same when the balls are releasedby the first gate, and means for simultaneously operating said gate andgate means.

3. In a game apparatus a platform having a plurality of spaced holes atone end thereof a registering member in association with each of theholes, a trip member in association with each of the holes andoperatively con nected to the registering member of the respective holefor shifting said registering member into View when a ball enters thehole, a gate member in association with all of the trip members forretainingthe balls thereon and the respective registering memberin'view, said gate being shift-able for releasing all of the ballsforpermittingthe triptrip members for retaining the balls thereon andthe respective registering member in View, said gate being shiftable forreleasing all ofthe ballsfor'permitting the trip members and registeringmembers to assume their normal inoperative positions, a return alley 7extending from the space adjacent the gate tothe starting end oftheplatform, the balls being adapted to be removed from the latter .endof the alley, a second gate in association with the alley at the latterend thereof, and a third gate in association with the alley intermediatethe first and second gates, and means for simultaneously actuati-ngallofsaid gates, the first and second gates being opened and closedsimultaneously, and the third gate being closed and opened alternatelywith respect to the first and second gates.

5. In a game apparatus, a platform having a plurality of spaced holes atone end thereof, a registering member in association with each of theholes, a trip member in association with each of the holes and:operatively connected'to the registering member of the respective holefor shifting said registering member into view when a ball enters thehole,,a gate'member in association with all of the trip members forretaining the balls thereon and the respective registering member inview, said gate being shiftable for releasing all of the balls forpermitting the trip members and registering members to assume theirnormal inoperative positions, a return alley extending from the spaceadjacent the gate to the starting end of the platform, the balls beingvadapted to be removedf-r'om the latter end of the alley, a second gatein association with the alley-at the latter end thereof, and a thirdgate in association with the alley inter? mediate the first and secondgates, and a coin controlled means for simultaneously actuating allofsaid gates, the first and second gates beingopened andclosedsimultaneously, and the third gate being closed and opened al-'ternately with respect to the first-and second gates."

6. In a game apparatus,a plat form having a pluralityofspaced holes-atone end'thereof,

a registering member in association with each of theholes, a trip memberin association with each of the holes and operatively connected to theregistering member of the respective hole for shifting said registeringmember into view when a ball enters the hole, a gate member inassociation with allof the trip members for retaining the balls thereonand the respective registering member in view, said gate being shiftablefor releasing all of the balls for permitting the trip members andregistering members to assume their normal spect to the first and'secondgates, andsmeans for retarding the closing of the first and sec'-. ondgates and the opening; of the third gate. In testimony whereof, I havehereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California.

- HARRY T. NAUMAN. s

inoperative positions, means for opening said 7 gate for releasing saidballs from the trip means, and means for closing and for retarding theclosing of said gate. 7

In a game apparatus, a platform having a plurality of spaced holes atoneend thereof, a registering member in association with each of theholes,a trip member in association with each of the'holes andoperatively connected to the registering member of the re spective holefor shifting said registering member into View when a ball enters thehole, a gate member in association with all of the trip members forretaining the balls thereon and the respective registering member inview, said gate being shiftable for releasing all of the balls forpermitting the trip members and registering members to assume theirnormal inoperative positions, a ball return alley for receiving theballs when released by the gate, other gate means in associationwith'the return alley adapted to close the same when the balls arereleased by the first gate, means for opening and closing said gate,means connecting the gate to the gate means, and means for retarding theclosing of the gate.

. 8. In a game apparatus, a platform having a plurality of spaced holesat one end thereof, a registering member in association with each of theholes, a trip member in association with each of the holes andoperatively connected to the registering member of the respective holefor shifting said registering member into view when a ball enters thehole, a gate member in association with all of the trip members forretaining the balls thereon and the respective registering member inview, said gate being shiftable for releasing all of the balls forpermitting the trip members and registering members to assume theirnormal inoperative positions, a return alley extending from the spaceadjacent the gate to the starting end of the platform, the balls beingadapted to be removed from the latter end of the alley, asecond gatein'association with the alley at the latter end thereof, and a thirdgate in association with the alley intermediate the first and secondgates, means for si= multaneously actuating all of said ggates, the,

